British sprint star CJ Ujah charged in crypto fraud case

Odaily reported that, according to a UK police announcement, former World Athletics Championships 4x100m relay gold medalist and British sprinter CJ Ujah, along with nine other individuals, has been charged with "conspiracy to defraud" in connection with a cryptocurrency fraud case.

Police stated that the criminal gang posed as police and cryptocurrency company personnel to conduct phone scams against multiple victims, tricking them into disclosing critical wallet security information, including seed phrases. The perpetrators then transferred the victims' crypto assets, with one victim losing over £300,000. The case was cracked following a joint investigation by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) across Kent, Essex, and London. The ten suspects have appeared in court, with Ujah released on bail until a further hearing on May 28.

Ujah, now 32, won a 4x100m relay gold medal for Team GB at the 2017 World Championships and also claimed the Diamond League title that same year. In 2022, he was suspended for 22 months due to a doping violation, which was later attributed to contamination from a supplement causing an adverse analytical finding. In addition to Ujah, another British sprinter, Brandon Mingeli, is also on the list of those arrested and is currently in custody pending trial. (The Guardian)